Active Directory is the employee information store for businesses large and small. However, very few developers understand Active Directory well enough to leverage its capabilities. You have spent hundreds of hours learning SQL, now it’s time to spend two learning how to use Active Directory.

Those of you who run networks on Windows 2000 know the benefits of using Active Directory for managing user information and permissions. You also know what a bear it can be. The newer version included with Windows Server 2003 has over 100 new and updated features to simplify deployment, but once it's in place many system administrators still find Active Directory challenging.

Those of you who run networks on Windows 2000 know the benefits of using Active Directory for managing user information and permissions. You also know what a bear it can be. The newer version included with Windows Server 2003 has over 100 new and updated features to simplify deployment, but once it's in place many system administrators still find Active Directory challenging. If you're among those looking for practical hands-on support, help is here with our new Active Directory Cookbook for Windows Server 2003 & Windows 2000, a unique problem-solving guide that offers quick answers for both versions of the directory.